Gutless: skin quarters first or last?

[sndmn11]

A thread I read the other day about laying out some sort of tarp, reminded me of this video and how Fred Eichler processes gutless.

I have always skinned the quarters on the carcass, and then removed them. It seems that cutting quarters off with the hide on, and then skinning them away from the carcass or even hanging would keep things cleaner.

I am wondering who has tried both ways, and why have you stuck with one or the other?

 

[87TT]

The faster I can get that skin off and start the cooling the better.

 

[Stalker69]

I normally skin entire animal, if I can hang it. Then proceed to quarter, hand head down and start from front quarters up. Remove hind quarters last. If I need to do it on the ground due to size of animal or lack of trees I skin half, , then quarter that side ( laying the meat on the fresh hide I have folded over. Then flip the animal on the other side and do the same. It seems to work and keeps things a lot less hairy and cleaner for me.

 

[Superkodiak38]

If it was 10 degrees and I knew I was going to get it somewhere in a short period of time to skin it out I wouldn't hesitate to do that. You are cutting a lot of hair but that's not a huge issue, most of that outer fascia is going to the trash anyhow

 

[WCB]

When packing on mules I used to leave skin on. Of course again this was with mules... only thing left behind was a gut pile. Half neck, front shoulder, ribs (x2). Then two rear quarters skin on. Archery season threw rifle never had any spoiled meat just get air circulating and somewhere cool.

If I am packing out on my back...skin first, debone, into game game bags

 

[bruceleroy]

Ive done both and never had issues either way. People make it sound like you have precisely 36.45 seconds to cool the meat. They need to chill out. You have a lot more time than you think you do. Same goes for hanging in a tree. I hung meat for a 14 day hunt before. Kept it in the shade. Nightly temps in the 40s and day time was in the low 70s. Best aging process ever!

 

[rayporter]

i find it easier to hang the legs and skin them. you can get the parts off quicker that way and keep the meat cleaner.

if it is cold enough i will load the horses with the skin on and remove it at the truck.

 

[Wilderlife]

Skinning stuff is much harder if the skin gets to really cool down, but it definitely protects the meat.

I do either skin on or off, depending on where I am, how I'm feeling, and how easily I can get the meat back to camp or my vehicle.

 

[MeatBuck]

Seems like more hair will get on meat that way. More cuts through hair and hide too. Bad on blade

 

[wytx]

Cut from the under side, no hair on the meat.
Hide on the quarters til they get hung up to age.